Norwich walk casts light on plight of the hungry

Midway through a community anti-hunger walk through downtown Norwich on Sunday, a neighborhood resident ran up to walker Hilda Zeigler, of Gales Ferry, and handed her $5. Zeigler had no idea who he was, she said after the walk, but she and other volunteers from the New London Community Meal Center said it’s emblemati...

Midway through a community anti-hunger walk through downtown Norwich on Sunday, a neighborhood resident ran up to walker Hilda Zeigler, of Gales Ferry, and handed her $5.

Zeigler had no idea who he was, she said after the walk, but she and other volunteers from the New London Community Meal Center said it’s emblematic of the support they’ve gotten from the community for the cause.

Volunteers from the New London Community Meal Center, dressed in chef’s hats and carrying signs, were among more than three dozen teams that took to the streets Sunday to raise money for, and awareness of, local food banks and hunger prevention organizations.

The three-mile walk began and ended at the Chelsea Parade green near Norwich Free Academy and took volunteers down to the city’s waterfront park and back.

The walk is one of four across the state this month that will raise money for the Connecticut Food Bank, which will use the money to buy bulk meals to be distributed to area anti-hunger groups.

This is the first time the walk has come to eastern Connecticut, and United Way Chief Executive Officer Virginia Mason said she was thrilled with the turnout. About 150 people on 39 teams had pre-registered for the event, but many others showed up the day of the walk to sign up, pushing the number over 200.

Mason stood near the finish line with Gemma E. Moran, whose namesake food and labor center was debuting its mobile food pantry. The women cheered teams, hugged supporters and took pictures.

“It’s such a great turnout of kids, dogs — all kinds of people, and lots of spirit,” Mason said.

Seeing so many people support one of her biggest causes was “humbling,” Moran said. “It’s an inspiration. They’re my band of angels.”

Final fundraising totals weren’t available by the end of the event, but Jill Davoll, the marketing and communications director for the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, said it was a success.

“More and more people are struggling to make ends meet, and one area where people think they have wiggle room is food; they cut down there. We’re fighting food insecurity, where you cut so much that you don’t know where your next meal is coming from,” Davoll said. “The money we raise will help people with that basic need, and with awareness of the need in their community.”

It was the cause that motivated Ed Sweeney of the Groton-based Riverfront Children’s Center to bring his children out for the walk Sunday. His son, Max Erickson, 5, spent much of the walk riding on Dad’s back, while his daughter, Isabella Erickson, 1, slept in a stroller.

“There are a lot of people who need food, and who aren’t lucky enough to be so blessed,” Sweeney said.